Method and means for removing surface imperfections from rods and wire



April 22, 1941- J. STATZ 2,239,580

mmxon AND mums FOR REMOVING sunmcr; IMPERFEGTIONS mom nous AND WIRE Filed June 16, 1958 JOHN 5774 T2 Patented Apr. 22, 1941 METHOD AND MEANS FOR REMOVING SUR- FACE IMPERFECTION WIRE s mounons AND John Statz, Worcester, Mass.

Application June 16, 1938, Serial No. 214,172

6 Claims.

The present invention relates toimprovements in a method and apparatus for subjecting rods and wire to a metal removing finishing action while they are being drawn to a desired diameter or gauge. For a more detailed disclosure of the invention, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, the following description rods and wire while a relative rotation is maintained between the rod or wire and [the rotary finishing members as work is advanced longitudinally. It is a further feature of the invention to carry on a metal removing or grinding operation while the wire or rods are under tension so as to tthus maintain an accurate predetermined relationship between the metal removing means and the material being acted upon. The invention is applicable to wires or rods during either the drawing or rolling thereof.

The wire to be treated for removal of its surface imperfections is uncoiled gradually from a spool I rotatably mounted within a flyer ll journaled in suitable bearings i2 and i3. A brake or friction drag I4 serves to prevent overrunning of the reel, and members l5 and I6 guide the-outgoing wire through asuitable aperture in a journal portion of the flyer. As the wire or rod leaves the flyer, it passes through a die H which revolves therewith. This die reduces the diameter of the product pulled therethrough in the usual manner.

Two or more grinding wheels l8l8 mounted on adjustable bases Ill-49, by their abrasive action, will remove surface imperfaotions from the wire or rod as the same travels relative thereto. The grinding wheels are driven by individual electric motors 2i),- as shown, mounted on adjustable supports I9. The supports 19, in turn, are mounted for swiveling adjustment on base members 2|. Thus the grinding wheels can be readily set so that their main planes are disposed either at an angle other than a right angle to the axis of the wire, as illustrated, or at a right angle rthereto. Preferably, the grinding wheels will be set at an angle other than a right angle:

. thus their grinding faces will correspond to that of a frustum of a cone. This increases the amount of grinding surface in contact with the work for a grinding wheel of given thickness.

The wire or rod is pulled through the die I! and past the grinding wheels I8 by means of a capstan 22 carried in a take-up ilyer 23 rotatably mounted in suitable bearings 24 and 25. Guide members or rollers 26, 21, 28 and 23 are provided to properly direct the wire or rod through a suitable aperture formed in a trunnion portion of the flyer and to the capstan 22 and take-up reel 30. The drive for the take-up reel 30 and the capstan 22 is eifected by coaotion of a stationary gear 3| meshing with a gear 32, thus rotating the shaft 33. This shaft carries a friction disk 34 which drives a friction wheel 35. As this wheel is moved toward or from the center of the disk 34 it will vary the speed in well-known manher, and such variable speed will be transmitted by bevel gears 36, one of which is loose on the stub shaft 33, to the take-up reel 30 so as to compensate for the constantly increasing diameter of the wireaccumulaiting thereon. The capstan 22 receives its drive from the shaft 33 through the bevel gearing 31,

The two fiyers II and 23 are driven in synchronism from a shaft 38 having at one end a sprocket 39 connected by a chain 40 with a sprocket 4| secured to the journal of the flyer ll. At its opposite end, the shaft 38 carries a sprocket 42 connected by a chain 43 with a sprocket 44 secured to the journal of the flyer 23. The main shaft 38 carries a' gear 45 which is driven from the main drive motor 46 by means of a gear 41 secured to the armature shailt thereof.

From the foregoing disclosure it will be'manifest that, as the capstan 22 rotates on its axis, it will exert suflicient tension on the wire to draw in; through the die, and, while so doing, the wire, in a state of tension, will be rotating on its longitudinal axis while traveling past the grinding wheels l3-ll mounted on normally stationary supports. Thus, as the product undrr treatment advances longitudinally, all portions thereof will be subjected to the abrasive action of the grinding wheels which serve to remove an infinitesimal amount of skin metal and thus eliminate all surface imperfections from the product. The tension on the wire serves to maintain, with great precision, the proper relationship between t e wire and the grinding wheels so that a uniformly round product of predetermined gauge results.

The method and apparatus shown is applicable for the treatment of either rod or wire, and

the term "wire as used herein is intended to apply also to rod.

While I have described quite specifically certain steps of the improved method and a preferred organization of ooacting instmmentalities for carrying out such method, it is to be understood that various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departure from the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In the manufacture of wire the method which comprises subjecting the same to a. metal removing action while it is maintained under tension, rotating on its axis, and advancing longitudinally.

2. An apparatus for eliminating surface imperfections from wire during the drawing thereof comprising, respective supply and take-up reels, rotating, members in which the reels are carried, a die, means for pulling wire from the supply reel through said die, and means located between the die and the take-up reel, where the drawing tension exists, efiective to remove surface imperfections from the wire, said reel-carrying members rotating about an axis which is coincident with that of the longitudinally-advancing wire as it is passing said imperfectionremoving means.

3. An apparatus for eliminating surface imperfections from wire during the drawing thereof comprising, respective supply and take-up reels, rotating members in which the reels are carried, a die, means'for pulling wire from the supply reel through said die, and rotary metal removing members mounted on normally fixed supports for coaction with the longitudinally advancing and rotating wire, said reel-carrying members rotating about an axis coincident with that of the longitudinally-advancing wire as it passes said metal-removing members.

4. An apparatus for eliminating surface imperfections from wire during the drawing thereof comprising, respective supply and take-up reels, rotating members in which the reels are carried, a die, means for pulling wire from the supply reel through said die, rotary finishing wheels for coaction with the advancing wire, and means for varying the angularity of said wheels with respect to the wire, said reel-carrying members rotating about an axis coincident with that of the longitudinally-advancing wire as it passes said rotary finishing wheels.

5. An apparatus of the character described comprising a pair of rotating flyers, a wire supply reel and a wire drawing die mounted to rotate with one ilyer, a take-up reel and means for pulling wire from the supply reel through said die carried by the other flyer, and abrasive means effective to remove surface imperfections from the wire as it is being pulled through said die.

6. An apparatus of the character described comprising a pair of flyers driven in substantial synchronism, a wire supply reel and a wire drawing die mounted to rotate with one fiyer, a takeup reel and means for pulling wire from the supply reel through said die carried by the other flyer, grinding wheels mounted for coaction with the wire as it is being pulled through the die, and means for supporting the grinding wheels having provision for angula'rly adJusting them with relation to thewire.

JOHN STATZ. 

